So, love for the Mass Effect franchise might be at an all-time low at the moment thanks to less-than-stellar releases like Mass Effect: Andromeda. But, for a time, it was one of the most well-regarded game series of this generation. Mass Effect 1 reinvigorated the space RPG, and Mass Effect 2 introduced some of the most beloved characters in years. It was a story about choices, intergalactic politics, sweet space magic, and romance.
But, when it comes right down to it, Mass Effect is all about the aliens. Sure, 99% of them are bipedal human-like creatures, but still, they're some of the most interesting and unique races we've ever seen in fiction. And, because they're all so different, it's incredibly hard to evaluate all the strengths and weaknesses of each race, but we'll do our darndest. So without further ado, here's our list of the 10 Most Powerful Mass Effect Races.
10 The Hanar: Polite Yet Squishable Jellyfish
What is that? Some sort of Jellyfish?! Well, yes, actually. The Hanar are far and away the most oddball race in Mass Effect and a personal favorite of hours. They appear pretty sparingly throughout the four games but are always beloved by fans whenever they show up. This is because of their weird appearance obviously, but also because the Hanar are regarded as the most polite race in existence. They just get along with everyone, at least at face value.
Anything violent, they typically leave to the Drell, which act as their servants, due to the Hanar saving the Drell from extinction. To summarize, the Hanar are a race that highly values communication and language. But, they're literal Jellyfish who really can't fight, so in terms of "Strength", they're probably the weakest.
9 The Elcor: Loveable Giants Who Are Just A Bit Too Slow
Here we have yet another Alien species that is rarely seen but overly well-regarded. The Elcor are a breed of intelligent life that are usually only seen within side quests and Citadel missions throughout the games. They're a rare non-bipedal species that evolved on a world with incredibly high gravity, making them slow but massively strong comparatively. Basically, they have the stance of an ape, but the strength and structure of an elephant.
The most well-known characteristic of the Elcor is their ability to pick up on any amount of subtlety, due to their speech and mouth structure. So, to stop any misunderstandings, most Elcor preface their sentences with the tone of the incoming words. They also speak in a flat monotone. What's truly ironic though, is the Elcor are known for their subtle ways, yet their appearance and strength are anything but. Unfortunately, they're massive but incredibly slow both in thinking and speed, so they can easily be taken down but a constant and rapid barrage.
8 The Quarians: Intelligent And Nomadic Hyper-Germophobes
Sadly enough, one of the most beloved and creative species within the Milky Way galaxy is also one of the weakest. The Quarians are best represented by Tali'Zorah Nar Rayya, a crewmember of the Normandy under the command of the player character Shepard. This nomadic race of genius-level mechanics are mostly known for their incredibly weak immune systems thanks to their relatively sterile homeworld.
Unfortunately, said homeworld was taken over by one of their very own creations, which we'll be talking about in a bit, and it led them towards becoming a nomadic tribe. But, at the end of the day, they're not particularly strong on a base level, and their weak immune systems make them a prime target in any form of combat, leading them to be by far the weakest on this list. As soon as their suit tears it's basically over.
7 The Salarians: Genius Level Amphibians Embedded With Pure Caffeine
Next up are the Salarians, the dorky little lizard-esque aliens of the ME franchise. These scrawny yet oddly cute things are actually an amphibious species that were the second to discover the Citadel, right after the Asari. The Salarians are also a highly energized species, with metabolisms that work at a much quicker pace than anything humans have seen. This allows their people to function off of a mere single hour of sleep!
Basically, Salarians are hyper-intelligent, hyper-productive, and just overall hyper in general. But, this hyperactivity isn't only a positive. Salarians are made up of basically cartilage rather than bones, and they have a much shorter life expectancy. So, in terms of technological strength the Salarians are one of the strongest, but structurally? Pretty weak.
6 The Turians: Militaristic Knight-Like Aliens
The Turians are very obviously the knights of the Mass Effect universe. These bird-inspired Aliens are best known by their Militaristic inclinations and steadfast dedication to honor. They were also the third race to find the Citadel in this cycle, and it thankfully led them to become one of the more well known Alien races in the franchise.
Sadly though, the Turians actually only secured their seat on the Citadel Council after they used the Genophage against the Krogans during their rebellion. Still, Garrus is by far one of the more beloved characters throughout all the games, and we can't help but adore how awesome and powerful their streamlined features and metallic carapace appear to be.
5 The Protheans: Ancient Technologically Advanced Warriors
Surprisingly, we're able to talk about the Protheans, who are a race that mysteriously vanished over 50,000 years before the events of Mass Effect 1. Before Mass Effect 3's DLC, we never thought we'd actually see the Protheans. This anthropoidal race were the ones that left behind the insanely advanced technology that led humanity towards intergalactic travel.
They left behind entire worlds worth of tech that helped advanced the Galaxy into a stage where they could combat the Reapers. Because of that, they should be the strongest right? Wrong. Sure, Protheans can learn entire languages and skills just by touching other creatures, but they're still pretty normal in comparison to every other Mass Effect Race. And when it comes to Biotics, there's nothing stronger than an Asari.
4 The Asari: Both Lovers And Fighters
Wow, the Asari are further down then we expected. It's surprising because players have seen just how fearsome Asari Biotics can be. We've got Liara, Samara, her daughter Corinth, and even Peebee. Basically, thanks to Shepard interacting with the best of the best, Asari are seen by the players as an absurdly powerful race. Now don't get us wrong, they are strong, but Asari are much more inclined to make peace than war.
They're a race that prefers to explore the galaxy, learn, and connect with all the other races. In fact, violence is usually the very last option for them, as they'd much rather "bond" than make war. So individually, Asari can be the strongest. But, as an entire race, they're not quite as fearsome.
3 The Geth: The Unstoppable Hivemind With Infinite Vessels
And now here we are at the Geth, the only purely machine race on this list. The Geth are a band of sentient AI that drove the Quarians from their homeworld, as they had become self-aware and tired of being used as simple tools. The Geth became more popular once the character Legion was introduced in Mass Effect 2, as it showed that the Geth aren't just one "personality" inhabiting millions of bodies, but rather millions of personalities that are connected to one shared "server".
Because their bodies are little more than vessels, the Geth are absurdly strong. They can build incredibly powerful bodies, and can "hack" most forms of technology throughout the galaxy. Honestly, the only thing that can really stop them is potentially a super-virus or any form of EMP.
2 The Krogans: The Ultimate Example Of Darwinism
If the Geth are the Mass Effect equivalent of a Terminator, then the Krogan are equivalent to maybe Aliens or Predators. Organic life forms that were bred to fight. Basically, the Krogans are almost unstoppable killing machines who are obsessed with strength, combat, and war. Krogan have literally evolved to become more fearsome over time. Their homeworld of Tuchanka is full of predators and harsh conditions, so it was survival of the fittest.
The Krogan are large, muscular by default, and have a 240-degree range of vision. They're violent, have fast reflexes, and an immense well of stamina. Each and every one could be considered a weapon on their own. But the most insane part is that they breed insanely fast, and in intense numbers, that is of course, before the Genophage imposed by the Salarians. Basically, the Krogan are the peak of natural biological combat-focused evolution.
1 The Reapers: Literally Just Evil Giant Squid-Shaped Ships
And lastly, we have the Reapers, because of course, they would top this list. The Reapers are sentient ships programmed to emerge from Dark Space and purge life after a certain cycle of time and development. Imagine them as the galaxy's reset button.
The Reapers were created by a race called the Leviathans, which were apparently an aquatic race that dominated the galaxy eons ago. Basically, there's nothing stronger than a Reaper, they've spent thousands of years cultivating organic life and leading them towards the Citadel and Mass Effect travel to make sure of that. All in the pursuit of their subjugation and indoctrination.